I get so ill when people think they are ALWAYS right! Of course, I KNOW I AM -- ha! But seriously, I would just as soon go and hibernate than to have to put humiliated and made to feel stupid!

I sure hope that I AM THE ONE who ends up right!

I read something really neat today in Isaiah. Here it is:

11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail. NIV

11The LORD will guide you continually, watering your life when you are dry and keeping you healthy, too. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. NLT

11I will always show you where to go.
I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places--
firm muscles, strong bones.
You'll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry. MSG

11 The Lord will always lead you,

satisfy you in a parched land,

and strengthen your bones.

You will be like a watered garden

and like a spring whose waters never run dry. HSB

Here is your reminder D....

I will be the map for your journey, says God
I will be the tourguide on your trip.
I will be the chief captain of your sailing adventures.
Whether the waters are smooth or rough, I will guide.
Even if your vehicle is a dingy or cruiseliner, I will hold tightly to the wheel.
I will be the pilot, not co-pilot of your LIFEcraft. It doesn't matter about your altitude, just your attitude - TRUST
If you think you're flying solo and your visual perceptions seem impaired, remember I control all the instruments and am always with you.

When you are exhausted and about to shrivel up
I will give you an extra dose of 'ability' to go on a little longer.
When you are at the point of thinking you fall at all you attempt to do
I will stretch out my hand and pick you up and hold you until you can walk again.


I think no matter how many translations, I need to realize that GOD WILL take care of every need I have. He will protect us and keep us!

I SHOULD catch up my blogging...I'm at the office alone today, and basically just piddling. It is a rainy, nasty day here today. I am waiting on news from my supervisor on their vacation plans. I have been offered the opportunity to travel with my aunt on a cruise. Soooooooooo needless to say, I am hoping it works out.

WOW...I feel like a 1970's BUMPER STICKER...


I FOUND IT (them)! - My Rod Stewart tickets

I am probably going to end up on Oprah anyhow for sending the most self soliciting letters. I literally sent letters to all the radio stations in NC and SC and to national celebrities. I kinda got on a roll thinking this could be fun!

Oprah
Jay Leno
Delilah
CNN
FOX
CBS
ABC

Soooo, if you happen to see me on TV, just know that I believe God answers our prayers even for personal fun stuff! Thank goodness that ONE trash can didn't get taken to the street. I wonder now if my husband will expect something in return for his find...........Hmmmmmmmmmm maybe he should have held on to the tickets until after 'pay up' :-)
Happy Day to all who may travel this way. Sorry for the honesty and personal reflections that come through so often on my blog...but at least I am writing something down!

I realized that I totally let Rachel's birthday blog blow by. I felt like I should comment on it since I know Michelle had asked about it. Her day was good for her I believe. We had actually had our "Birthday dinner" on Saturday to celebrate her birthday and her daddy's on the 21st. I'd love to think I could tell her everyday to "get up, its your birthday"...but somehow, I don't think it would work. She was able to open her gifts before my leaving for the office. I know that she was genuinely surprised by one of her gifts. We had purchased her a month of 'tanning' visits in order to get her ready for her prom dress. She is like me, if you don't tan a little, the 7 Dwarfs trail behind you singing "Whistle while you work". The other gift we gave her was a Fondue Pot...Yes, we gave an 18 year old a Fondue Pot. It was what she wanted, but I can assure you that I might as well have been hunting a needle in a haystack. For whatever reason, they are NOT easy to find. She LOVED it though. With Wednesday being our usual church evening, she had dinner plans with her boyfriend. They ate at OUTBACK, her favorite! (I'm sure you appreciate that, Michelle...Good'ay) :-) Overall, it was a peaceful way to ring in her 18th year. I remember all too well where I was when I first rang it in.

Daytona Beach
Fat
REAL FAT
Surgery
Beautiful
Home
REALITY

We all make mistakes...

....but some just make you more sick than others....Here is the letter that I have now out of pure absurdity have sent to everyone that I can think of...From Oprah to Jay Leno!

Hello:

My name is Diane Barden and I am a 44 year old woman from Greenville, SC. I have a terrible dilemma and need help. I won tickets to the July 6 Rod Stewart concert at the in Charlotte, NC. I was so excited to have won them, because I knew exactly what I would do. My best friend from high school and I have been Rod Stewart fans the '70's. We always played 'Our Man Rod' music. We graduated and took different directions. She remained in NC and survived an abusive marriage and two kids. I moved to FL. I married a man, put him through 2 degrees. For several years my friend and I would get together on birthdays to do something special, once to see Rod. My friend has divorced and remarried and now at 44, & the mother of a two year old. I have 2 grown children that I am helping through college so my finances are limited. As of September, my husband was suddenly terminated. The point of this letter and my dilemma is: In is that when I won the tickets and they came in the mail this week. I opened my mail with great excitement I called my friend, whom again, I've not seen in over 2 years. I asked her if we could meet in Charlotte for the concert. She called me tonite to confirm babysitter arrangements and to 'make it a date.' I went to retrieve my tickets realizing the envelope and tickets were tossed in the trash with in error. I have searched my house in hopes that they missed the can, but I am realizing that has not happened. I understand it is a ridiculous request to ask for help replacing my tickets, but they would be the most appreciated tickets you could ever send out. So, my plea to you is if there is any way, could you find a way somehow to help my friend and I get tickets? I cannot tell you how much this would mean. Please let me know if there is any way that you can help.

Sincerely and with great appreciation,

Diane Barden
10 Coan Street
Greenville, SC 29617
(864)294-8570 (evening)
(864)836-6381 (day)

**********
Well, there you have it...I don't know why ANY of the people I sent it to would respond...but who knows...Maybe it'll be like the 'Door to Door Witnessing or Vaccum cleaner sales'...Hit enough people and someone eventually bites.

OVERHEARING

Thank you Father for Godly children.
I hear co-workers whose children are so messed up with drugs.
I see the turmoil that this is bringing the parents.
Cars are stolen.
In jail.
My heart breaks for them.
It IS true....Train up a child in the way he should go...
Keep me faithful.
Keep my children faithful.

In the section under Church Conference...Please PRAY...we desire to be in ministry here...and we TRUST that God knows the desires of our heart and that he will answer as HE sees fit.
http://www.firstbaptistmauldin.org/clientImages/22410/newsletter.pdf

Today was a pretty good day...Obviously, the prelude for tomorrow, the 18th birthday of my baby girl. My, how time goes so fast! Anyway, back to today. It went quite well in light of the fact that I had my first payroll of our new pay cycle. In most cases, it would have been a diaster, but, today went well.

I will get up early in the morning so that I can wake Rachel in time to open birthday presents. Hopefully, this will put her in a good mood.

How about some LEMONS with the water---I've heard when life gives you lemons make lemonade...

I am in such a FUNK! I don't like being depressed, but sometimes it just gets the best of me! I just do NOT understand this situation that we are in right now. I mean, it seems like everytime we get a glimpse of hope, someone comes along with cold water and pours on us! At first, it seemed like maybe it was just a cup of water. Now, however, it feels like the entire Atlantic Ocean has been dumped on my head. I thought that today would be the day that a door would open for Tom, but it was slammed in his face because he doesn't have a "TEACHING" certificate. He has a MASTERS degree...but NO teaching certificate!! Well, once again, my glimmer of hope was dumped on! I pray that I will be able to overcome this depressed feeling and that SOMETHING along the way will become positive. I was already down because someone at church asked if Tom was Ordained. Our reply was "NO, but what can an ordained person do that he can't do. He can marry and bury because he is licensed...just not ordained." Sooo, is this going to be the requirement to be hired fulltime where we are? I just don't understand. ....'Xcuse me..could I just decline the water this time?

Once again I am extremely confused...
Tammy Faye --- on TV again....
Still crying...
Still Mascara'd
Still wealthy
Still in the limelight...
and here I am...soooooo confused..

I feel a little depressed right now. I think I am hitting the MENTALpause stage of life and I'm not sure I'm ready for this. Amidst all of it, there seems to be things that just are bothering me, and yet I have no control over them.

How many times should I be expected to tell an 18 year old to clean things up before her grandfather arrives?
How many meetings will a search committee have to discuss the criteria for a Minister of Music?
How much money will they spend hunting someone who is actually already there just waiting??
How many employees will harrass me over their checks and my mistakes in their preparation?
How appreciated will I be for making a futile effort for birthdays?
How will my son pay for his taxes?
How?
Why?

Jeremiah 12:1
LORD, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. Now let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy?

Genesis 40:7
"Why do you look so worried today?" he asked.

Questions...

Go DUKE!!
It looks like they are finally coming back around...
Time will tell!

As usual, I feel like its time for Confessional...Father, its been 7 days since I last wrote... Again, I'm thankful and amazed that I don't have to go to a 'booth' to confess. Regardless if its for not writing,
unChristian thoughts or actions
Laziness
Doubts or questions to God's ability to provide
No matter the situation, I can simply offer my sincere apologies and regrets and ask that restoration be sent my way...

AND HE ALWAYS DOES!


........On another line..............
Do people not have anything better to do than to 'count days'? I have just heard about some statistics for the dates between 9/11 and the Madrid bombings etc. It is all very interesting...but amazing that people actually come up with these things!

I'm thankful for healthy children.
Children who can tie their shoes,
brush their teeth and comb their hair.
Children who can run and play and swim and ride bikes,
play with the dogs and climb a tree.

I watched today as little people were challenged to walk.
Down Syndrome children challenged to function in a normal society.
But for God's grace, they could be mine.
Why did God to spare us from that life?
Was there a specific plan to learn a lesson of some sort?
Or perhaps there was the ever present reality of God's knowledge
that I just might not have the stamina to pull of parenting a challenged child.

I pray for the parents of those children
I pray for the children, that they would learn,
Learn that even in their challenges,
God created them for a reason and for a purpose.
I pray that they would have the ability to comprehend
Understand the differences between right and wrong
In sin and purity.

I pray that somehow, they would know God.
That God who created them special, desires to give them life.
That He desires to open his home to them with love and hope.

Bless the little people,
the challenged both physicallly and mentally.
Remind me that I too am often challenged, sometimes physically
Sometimes mentally and sometimes even Spiritually.
Remind me that we are ALL precious in His sight
In the dark or in the light
Fearing dragons in the night
Be it wrong or be it right
Through your love we'll win the fight.
Show your strength and show your might
To lead us on amidst our plight.

The stomach virus has hit my house!! Not GOOD!! I was awakened this morning by Rachel who was sick in everyway possible!! Again, NOT GOOD! I've called in a prescription for her and I hope that it helps her feel better.

I am listening to Dave Ramsey trying to stay positive. We prepared our DEBT SNOWBALL form on Saturday and that was the most depressing event in a while! We have SOoooooooooooo much debt it is UNREAL. Tom seems to think that it will probably take 10 years or more to get out! I personally, think that I'll hear Gabriels trumpet and the break of an Eastern sky!

D - Disgraced to give me Grace
I - Impoverished to make me an heir
S - Scourged beyond recognition
T - Taunted mercilessly
U - Unjustly Tortured
R - Regarded my sin as worthy of his pain
B - Betrayed by one of his own
E - Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?
D - Demands my Soul, my Life, my all

After THE PASSION

Today Tom saw THE PASSION! We will both see it tomorrow. I don't know that I've ever felt so unprepared for a movie. Excited and anxious are small emotions that I feel prelude my viewing of a movie. This, however, is leaving me somewhat blank. I THINK I know what to expect based on what I've heard, but somehow, I doubt that I have any reality as to what I am going to experience. I believe that I will need to take with me an open mind, an open heart and an open box of kleenex.

I am so thankful that the friend I referred to before has made a significant change of heart! I am so thankful that God has touched his heart and helped him to realize that he will never succeed or be all that God wants him to be if he allows any part of his life to be closed to God. I remember hearing a story all through my teen age years that related our lives to a home in which God lives. It compared it to having various rooms as any house would have, but there was one room that the owner of the home kept closed and locked. He thought that as long as he never allowed God to go in there that he would never know about the hidden room. Of course, as we know, God knows all and it is just a matter of our opening up every area of our life to him.

I pray that God will keep me honest and help me to not have any closed areas in my life!